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The Friench Riviera Was Surrounded By Fire

Tourists visiting the French Riviera had their vacations ruined when the surrounding area was blazing. About 3,000 hectares of land was set on fire in the South of France and Express UK has made a thorough map of it.

Many villages in Southern France had to be evacuated and over 12,000 people had left their homes. Some of the affected areas included Bormes-les-Mimosas, the Northern tip of Corsica and the French Riviera. The fire has been fought with over 2,000 firefighters and a brigade of water-bombing planes. Southern France, and especially the Riveria, is experiencing a dry summer that is inducing these wildfires.

Other parts of Europe are also susceptible to suffering wildfires this season. Most of Spain, parts of Italy, and sparse parts the Balkans have the potential of sparking up with fire. Northern Africa also holds a significant risk of fire. You can see Express UK's map of susceptible zones. The Lubéron National Park and the French Riveria are considered to be the riskiest parts of the map.

Luxury resorts were also affected by evacuation orders. Joan Collins had to flee her resort and she tweeted about her experience with the fire. Luckily, she and the other people in her house were unharmed. She also talked about how she watched firefighting planes take water from the sea and dropped it on the fires.

Are Arsons Responsible?
It is entirely possible that arsons are to blame for setting the fires near the French Riviera. A pair of French teenagers have been arrested as they are believed to be the cause of the horrible fires that caused so many to evacuate. They are currently detained in a small jail in Martigues for questioning and there is still no certainty that they indeed set the fires.

The authorities are sure that the fires were of criminal origin rather than through natural causes. Many are angry as hundreds have had their properties damaged or destroyed in this wildfire. It had also temporarily halted the tourist industry in the area as all tourists have fled the resorts of the Riviera.

Don't Forget About Portugal!
While all of this happened in France, Portugal also suffered a fire that covered 25,000 hectares of forests. It is expected that more fires may spark in the Mediterranean this summer as this is one of the most horrible droughts in a while. Fortunately, casualties have been minimal in Portugal and none reported in France.